T H E C O V E N A N T E R
Fancy me being down in a dug-out, edge to edge being about eighty yards. The
instead of enjoying life on the top with the banks are so steep, and the cutting so deep,
battalion as heretofore. However, there’ll
that we can’t see down to the bottom, nor
be plenty of shell-dodging later, when I go
even half-way down, without craning over
forward, and that’s always interesting, as it
the edge, which is risky, as a sniper over the
is rather like choosing your line of country
way might plug a hole in you. Happily, he
hunting. I had a great sleep, in spite of the
didn’t seem to be there to do so, as I found
dungeon, and am as fit as can be and full of
it necessary to do a good deal of leaning
over. It’s a rotten line, and doesn’t lend
fight. And so, I think, are the men.
itself to bloodshed anywhere that I can see.
I shall probably keep this in my pocket
My headquarters are behind, and right
to finish later; but if anybody is going back,
against an enormous slag heap dug out to
I may give it to him to post (on the chance
make the canal. A curious sort of spot, and
of his doing so). My thoughts are all of you,
much too hugged up to this mountain to
darling, and the babies. Bless you all. And please me”
God keep you. If one doesn’t take the Bosch as one finds
him, life is rotten and business difficult; he
April 10th, 1917
is so tame nowadays - compared to up to
9.45 a.m. - My battle letter had perforce
last June year - that one can take advantage
to stop yesterday; too much business, and
of it to do things now that wouldn’t have
I moved forward at a few minutes after the
been dreamed of then. For myself, I simply
9.15 entry. Everything went well till then,
can’t see anything worth seeing with a
when there was to be a pause for four hours,
periscope, and when the German is tame
I soon find I can’t see half enough looking
to get ready for the next attack, so far as we
over the parapet of a trench, and so get
were concerned with the battle. I went right
upon top when I find it’s quite safe to do
forward to my people, and found them in
so. Often as not, too, if you do something
good heart; issued orders, and started them
the Bosch never thinks you will do, you can
off later for the last effort, of which I had
count on doing it with impunity, because
much anxiety. But we were in luck, and the he will not have any one there to make it
enemy made no resistance, so that we had otherwise.
a procession, greatly to every one’s surprise
These all-day jaunts are most interesting;
and relief, for with troops that had already
but they take time, and now it’s nearly
made two attacks, a third is a great trial of
1 a.m., with nothing done yet that ought
endurance. By about 1 o’clock we had got
to be done. I came in at about 5 p.m., and
everything, and with wonderfully little loss,
till 8.30 was interviewed by people. After
considering. I don’t know what the number
dinner my own Staff have their innings, so
of prisoners amounts to, but our Division
my own work gets left.
took about 2000, and this Brigade fourteen
September 20th, 1917
machine-guns and a gun; so I suppose the
My Dearest Beloved
other brigade did proportionately well in
I like this sort of day! A battle all morning,
that line. What the total bag is all along
and a letter in the evening. I had the same
the line we haven’t heard, but it ought to at Trones Wood and Thiepval.
be biggish. I can’t write any more now, as The sweat and grind and great anxiety of
these German dug-outs kill me and make the last nearly three weeks came to a head
my head burst, so I will finish later. In the
at dawn this morning, when we went for
meantime we are waiting for orders, men
the Bosch and took a 1000 or 1200 yards of
nearly all lying about as they did last night,
France out of him, besides killing a goodish
in the snow, poor chaps”
number - probably a very much larger
number that we see, owing to our artillery
August 5th, 1917
work a long way behind our objective.
A poor sort of Sabbath Day, in so far
I think my Brigade took well over 300
prisoners too many - probably more - and
as its being a day of rest. I began early by
did their job very completely and well.
riding to my new H.Q. and taking over
That was their share; mine was to make
the sector. Then from 9.30 till 5 was out in
the plans, and then they are through, to
the trenches, and trying to solve a knotty
see that they are not lost by the perfectly
problem or two. One part of my line is incredible ignorance of our jolly New
separated by a dry canal, anything from Army. I learnt wisdom as a battalion
seventy to a hundred feet deep; we on one
commander - there goes out the lamp
side, Fritz on the other, the distance from
with a shell burst - and know what to do
immediately after the objective is taken, i.e.
23
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